We recently connected with Mandy Shaw and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Mandy, thanks for joining us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?
My mom has always called me her “trial by fire” kid. I jump into projects fearlessly, even when I don’t have a clear vision for the outcome. I learn and feel my way through the journey. For me, it is the most authentic way to create products that I love.
As an independent business owner, I have had to navigate growth and slumps without a team of experts to guide me. At times, the number of decisions to make can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to garment design!
In 2021, I began research development for a new product, a beekeeping suit unlike any other on the market. By the end of 2022, I had sourced materials, established a relationship with a fair trade manufacturer, and created a tech pack (a technical spec map of the garment).
Jumping from in-house, small-scale manufacturing to partnering with an overseas shop was an enormous leap of faith that kept me awake more nights than I can count. There is a lot of trust and clear communication involved. Oh, and money!
My shipment of beekeeping suits arrived in late 2023. The relief and joy that I felt when quality-checking was intense! My first beekeeping suits were finally ready to hit the market!
Fast forward to today – the customer reviews are astoundingly positive!
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
In 2016, I started keeping bees. I loved them. But I hated the beekeeping suits available on the market! They were big, heavy, scratchy, frumpy. So I made my own! I started with a feminine beekeeping veil. After sharing it on social media, I started getting inquiries about making them for others.
The next few years were a mix of trying to create a small-scale beekeeping business and selling my veils. During this time I launched my podcast, Beekeeper Confidential. A growing audience helped generate a following of loyal beekeepers who happily posted photos of themselves dressed in my veils and their bees! This social proof was the only marketing needed to grow my niche business.
As it turns out, the global beekeeping community is incredibly tight and connected.
As my business grew and manufacturing demands became stressful for me to keep up with, I knew it was time to take steps to seek a manufacturing partner and expand my product line.
Behind the scenes, I grew my technical skills. I took Adobe Illustrator, garment design, and graphic design courses. Investing in my professional skills has allowed me to meet growth milestones that I otherwise would not have thought possible.
Wanting to serve an even greater portion of the beekeeping community, I knew it was time to expand into offering beekeeping suits. But it is important to me that the people making the suits are treated fairly, earn living wages, and work in safe environments. The fashion industry is one of the biggest violators of human rights. Beekeeping is an empowering hobby, and the people making our suits should also be empowered!
Seeking an overseas manufacturer is scary. I was lucky to find a partner through the Freedom Business Alliance, an organization whose business members create safe employment for survivors of human trafficking and those at risk of exploitation.
Through my journey, shining a light on human rights and the apparel manufacturing industry has become one of my ethos.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
My audience has grown organically. I have the good fortune of being part of a unique community that has been incredibly loyal to me and my brand. My social media growth strategy is to be nice, have a sense of humor, be myself, share customer stories, and not be overly promotional.
I make myself available for feedback, advice, and conversations about bees and beekeeping. Afterall, it’s the love for bees that puts me in the same arena as my clients.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
In 2020, we had “firestorm” weather conditions that caused several wildfires in my area. The air quality outdoors was deemed extremely dangerous to breathe, and people were told to stay inside and keep the windows and doors closed.
My workshop is a stand-alone building in my backyard and does not have any air filtration system. I had so many orders to fill! So I put on a respiration mask and sewed. It was miserable, but I pushed through and got those orders out on time despite the difficult conditions.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bellabeek.com
- Instagram: @beeingmandy
- Other: www.beekeeperconfidential.com